Make Ahead Breakfast Muffins

* This post has been compensated through the AE Dairy Blog Ambassador program.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Me this fall keeping busy driving
 the tractor and catch cart

We have been busy in the field harvesting corn and soybeans for the last week and a half.  That means a few things: A) My blog has been quiet; B) Our house looks like a disaster and; C) I haven't been grocery shopping and have had to get creative in the kitchen.  During harvest, I am lucky that my mother-in-law fixes cooler lunches for all of us while we're out in the field, and for supper, we usually just pick up whatever from the nearest food establishment from the field.  But that means breakfast is on me.  I am a huge breakfast person and I love to mix it up.  I don't like to have the same thing day in, day out, so that is why I love these Six Week Muffins for breakfast!

Six Week Muffins
6 cups All-Bran Cereal (Kellogg's)
2 cups Water, boiled
1 cup Shortening, melted
3 cups Sugar
4 Eggs, beaten
1 qt AE Dairy Buttermilk
5 cups Flour
5 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Salt

Pour boiling water over 2 cups of bran and let stand for 15 minutes.  Then mix in melted shortening, rest of bran, sugar, eggs and buttermilk.  Sift flour, soda and salt - and add to the rest of the mixture.

Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Recipe makes 4 to 5 dozen muffins.

You may cover and refrigerate the batter up to six weeks for fresh muffins as much as you want.  I usually split the batter in thirds and make 18 at a time every couple of weeks.

I love these muffins because they are a hardy muffin that has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor that is enhanced by the buttermilk.  They are also convenient for you to take on the road (or in the field).  These muffins also use a lot of pantry staples.  All of the ingredients in this recipe have long shelf lives, including the buttermilk.  I actually love keeping some buttermilk in the refrigerator to add a little bit of richness to my baking.

What are some of your favorite make ahead breakfast foods?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

Celebrate Your Heritage with Kringla

* This post has been compensated through the AE Dairy Blog Ambassador program.  All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Mother's Day always makes me think of back home.  I loved growing up on a corn, soybean, pig and sheep farm in Central Iowa.  I lived on the county line, which caused a slight identity crisis growing up, but one great thing about growing up in the middle of literally the entire state, I was close to several cultures and was able to experience Iowa's heritages.  I am proud to have a large German ancestry, but I have to admit, I loved living close to a large Norwegian and Scandinavian area.  Man do the Norsemen know how to bake!  I grew up wanting to have a Norwegian wedding cake on my special day, and I knew which Mom out of my classmates made the best Kringla.

I got to thinking about Kringla this week as I was craving a sweet, yet light, breakfast pastry.  Kringla are a great coffee cookie, or for the non coffee drinkers out there like myself, I love mine with a cup of hot tea or simply a glass of chocolate milk.  And, they aren't just for breakfast.  They're a great cookie for anytime during the day.  I think what makes Kringla rich, yet soft, is the buttermilk.  You can't go wrong with buttermilk!  I love using AE Dairy Buttermilk in chocolate cake, pancakes, and even my onion ring batter.

Iowa Kringla

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 cups AE Buttermilk
7 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda (dissolve in buttermilk)
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp vanilla

Cream together sugar and butter; mix in eggs.  Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk.  Chill dough (the longer the better - I would suggest overnight if possible, otherwise at least a couple of hours).  Roll small pieces into a pencil shape on a floured surface and then form into a figure 8.  Bake at 450F until light brown (about 5 minutes).

* I also recommend putting your dough back into the refrigerator between batches to keep it chilled.

So, celebrate Iowa's Scandinavian heritage and have some Kringla with your Mom this Mother's Day.  What ethnic foods do you love?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!